Pretty Little Liars
by Esm3rald
Summary: When Payson returns to Boulder, after two years' absence, she doesn't expect that her life would take such an unexpected turn. An heated encounter with who turns out to be her new coach, is just the beginning of her problems. With secrets too dangerous to be discovered, strange messages that torment her and her friends and Kelly still missing, she isn't sure who to trust anymore.
1. Prologue

**EDITED VERSION **

**As the title said, this is a story inspired by the TV Show "Pretty Little Liars". There's still going to be gymnastics and all the characters you know but the main plot will be about four friends who are tormented by strange messages and the mystery behind the disappearance of a girl who were best friends with all four of them. There's going to be secrets and lies, forbidden relationships, people who aren't what they seem…**

**The story is going to follow – at least when it's possible – all three seasons of MioBi but partly also the story of PLL. A lot of the characters that appeared in the third season are going to be present in the story from the start. Many of the characters may appear OOC sometimes but it's all for the benefit of the story. Even the characters' background may be different from canon. For example all four girls (plus Kelly) are rich like Lauren and Kaylie are in the TV show.**

**I'm very excited about this. The idea of combining two of my favorites TV shows (MioBi and PLL) together, was on my mind for some time now but for some reason, I just couldn't seem to make it work, until now. I have a precise idea in mind on where to go with this story and I'm going to finish it even if it kills me.**

**I'm sorry for those who were reading "What It Takes to be a Champion" because I have canceled it. I just didn't know what to do with it anymore. I hope this is going to be an even better replacement. **

**I know the prologue is a bit short but it's a prologue after all, the other chapters are going to be longer promise! This one serves only to introduce the story, hope you like it!**

**P.S. If you have read the first book of the Pretty Little Liars series by ****Sara Shepard, you're going to recognize different phrases taken directly from it. Generally though I'm going to follow the story of the TV show and not that of the books.**

**Another thing, I know that the minimum age to get a Driving Licence is sixteen years old but to make this story works, pretend that in Colorado you can take a License at fifteen.**

**Prologue**

**6 June 2009**

Not even half an hour away from Boulder, a little town close to Denver, in Colorado, there was a place that in the summer was used as a gymnastics camp. Talented young gymnasts – both boys and girls of different age, from 6 to 13 years old – went there for three intense months, hoping to be noticed by some star coach and really begin a career in the difficult world of professional gymnastics. Now though, the summer had barely began and the camp wasn't opened yet. This little inconvenience didn't stopped in the least the five fifteen year old girls who had parked their car just in front of the big gate and simply climbed over it. Armed with sleeping bags, marshmallows and a red handheld radio, the young, pretty girls settled themselves around a fire, sitting on big logs and started celebrate with big, happy smiles on their faces. The reason for their elation was simply explained: they had just come back from their first senior Nationals and between the five of them, they had brought home more medals then all the other participants combined. Of course, like it was expected, Kelly had won the title of National Champion, plus a gold medal on vault and a silver one on floor. Payson, on the other end, had to settle for second place and even if she had won a gold medal on bars and a silver one on vault, she wasn't very satisfied with the results. Of course everyone knew that Payson hated when anyone was better at anything than she was. Especially Kelly. Payson thought life was unfair sometimes. Kelly was beautiful, smart, popular and she always got what she wanted, always. Payson on the other end, had only gymnastics. But Kelly was better than her even in that.

The other three girls, while not winning any medal in the All Around category, had won a respectable number of medals themselves. Kaylie had won a gold medal on floor and a bronze one on beam. Emily had won a gold medal on beam and a bronze medal on bars and Lauren had won a silver medal on beam.

Suddenly Kelly, with a smirk plastered on her face, pulled a flask out of her bag, before taking a long sip of the amber liquid inside. "To the Rock Rebels." She toasted with a look at her four best friends. The other four smiled and repeated her exclamation. Then, with a daring smile at the girl sitting next to her she exclaimed: "Come on, Pay. Drink up." Payson protested slightly but Kelly wouldn't accept No as an answer so with a long, exasperated sigh and a smile on her face, Payson took the flask from her hand and drank deeply. She grimaced at the strong taste but the burning inside her – thanks to the whisky – soothed her slightly. "Take too much of that and you'll tell us all your secrets." Lauren said with a mischievous smirk on her lips. "It's exactly the secrets we share that will bond us forever." Kelly said with a more serious tone. She smiled soon after though, encouraging the others to keep drinking. Soon the flask was passed from hand to hand and in a little more than half an hour was emptied. The five girls, more than a little tipsy now, began dancing around the fire, laughing and joking around.

When they were finally too tired to stand, they sat around the fire once again.

"So, where's your brother KP?" asked Lauren, slurring slightly her words. "I didn't see him around much lately."

"He's around somewhere, doing who knows what with who knows who." Kelly answered with the snarky tone usually reserved for the people she didn't like. "But he's going to leave town after the summer since he'd been admitted to Columbia and all. Good riddance anyway. I won't miss him."

"Leo is leaving town?" Emily asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"Why the sudden interest in my brother Em? I know you get along with him and all but maybe you like him a little too much."

Emily paled, then denied Kelly's accusation with a shake of her head. The others were looking at the two of them alternatively, not understanding what was happening. "So Pay, when are you going to get the courage to ask Max out? You like him since forever." Asked Kaylie to break the silence.

"Uhm… I… I don't know." Payson stammered, embarrassed.

"He should be the one to ask you out. Let the guy come to you. Of course, you're not exactly his type. He likes girls who are more like Lauren." Payson frowned, a little hurt at that. Kelly meant to say "girls with boobs". Payson had always envied Lauren's more curvaceous body. She was taller than Lauren but while she was not thin like Emily or petit like Kelly and Kaylie, Lauren had a more feminine body. Payson on the other end was no thin nor had she had any curves that could make guys interested in her. She was pretty self-conscious about her body, reason why she never wear anything other than pants, jeans and hoodies.

"Well, too bad he's not my type at all." Lauren said amused.

"yeah, I know exactly who is your type." Lauren glared at her, saying "This is not funny." There it was again, the same situation as before. This had been happening a lot lately: usually Kelly mentioned something, and someone else got upset, but everyone was too shy to ask what in the world was going on.

"Anyway, I want to try something." Kelly said with a devious smile. The other four girls exchange worried looks. Kelly's ideas weren't always the best for them.

"What?" Emily asked bravely.

"I learned how to hypnotize people. And I want to try it on all of you."

"Who taught you that?" asked Payson throwing a suspicious look her way.

"Can't say. I was sworn to secrecy. Come on, it will be fun."

"Doesn't hypnosis make you say stuff you don't want to say?" Payson argued still.

"Is there something you can't tell us?" retorted Kelly and Payson shut up at that. Kelly was always coming up with stuff for them to try but the thing was, they often didn't _want _to do the things that Kelly made them do. They all loved KP to death, but they sometimes hated her too – for bossing them around and for the spell she'd cast on them. Sometimes in Kelly's presence, they didn't feel real, exactly. They felt kind of like dolls, with Kelly arranging their every move. Each of them wished that, just once, they had the strength to tell Kelly no.

"Ok, fine." Exclaimed Lauren after a long pause. The others agreed soon after.

Kelly pulled some scented candles out of her bag and after having them lit up quickly, she began to hum. "Okay, now you need to relax and close your eyes. Your heartbeat is slowing down. I'm going to count down from one hundred. As soon as I'm done you'll all be in my power. One hundred . . . ninety-nine . . . ninety-eight. . ."

They fell asleep without noticing and woke up only after the sun had risen on the sky. Payson was the first one to realize that someone was missing.

"Where's Kelly?" she asked, looking around her. The others shook her head, not having an answer to that question.

"Kelly, come on, it's not funny. Come out." But no matter how many times they called for her or tried searching for her, it was of no use. Kelly was gone.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Two years later**

**5 June 2011**

Marty was working late, like he had been doing all week. This close to Nationals there was so much work to do that sometimes he wondered how he was able to coach four elite gymnasts, least of all have time for anything else. No matter how good his staff was, there were things that he, as a Head Coach of the Rocky Mountain Gymnastics Training Center, had to deal with himself.

And thinking that until recently, The Rock – as they familiarly called it – didn't even exist.

When four years ago he accepted the position of Coach of this just opened gym, a lot of people thought he was insane. After all he was a worldwide known and respected coach and he could have worked in whatever gym he chose.

He knew from the beginning, of course, that he was taking a big risk, but something instinctively told him that he was making the right choice. And since then, he didn't regret it once.

The idea to build a new gym from scratch – so close to Denver Elite moreover – came from five different families of five junior elite gymnasts who put a lot of effort in converting an old warehouse into a top ranked facility with the best equipment money could buy. At the time, the five aforementioned girls were just twelve years old. They had met just that year – 2006 – for the first time at a gymnastics camp in Golden Gymnastics Park – in the little town of Golden - just half an hour away from Boulder, and became best friends almost instantly. In the arc of three years those same girls had become the five best gymnasts in the Country, with Kelly Parker – the leader of their little group – as the newly crowned National Champion, in their first year as senior elite in 2009. They were unfortunately too young to compete in the 2008 Olympics but anyone that was somebody in the gymnastics world, was absolutely sure that the five of them would have represented the next Olympic team in 2012.

And then everything changed: Kelly disappeared in mysterious circumstances one night, at the beginning of June, and now, two years later, nobody has still any idea what really happened to her.

Not too long after KP's disappearance, Payson Keeler – silver medalist at Nationals of the same year – move with her parents to England and, of the original group, only three were left but they weren't as close as they used to be either.

Something was forever broken that summer and the group of 'The Rock Rebels' – as they were called in the gymnastics world – was no more.

Despite all this though The Rock was right now the strongest gymnastic club in America and if he had anything to say about it, things were going to stay exactly the same for many years to come.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone who was knocking at his office's door. Who was at this hour? Everyone had already gone home by now. It was because of this that he was a little surprised to find himself facing Sheila Baboyan, one of the previously mentioned "founders" of the Rock, mother of the still missing Kelly Parker and stepmother of Wendy Capshaw, a fifteen year old girl who had been moved to senior elite just that year.

After the divorce with her first husband – Kelly's father – when her daughter was twelve, she had remarried, but after only an year Wendy's father died in a car accident and Wendy was left with Sheila as her only parental figure and with Kelly and Leo as her stepsiblings.

Wendy now, together with Kaylie Cruz, Lauren Tanner and Emily Kmekto – the three Rock Rebels left – were his best gymnasts and the four of them, with absolute certainty, were going to be part of the National Team that year.

No, there really wasn't a moment when he had come to regret his decision to come train at The Rock.

"Sheila, what can I do for you?" Marty asked her cheerfully.

"You know Marty…" Sheila said while going to sit in the chair right in front of his desk. "Now that Wendy is a senior elite, I think she's going to need a lot more attention from you.

You see, I think Wendy has a brilliant future ahead of her and now, more than ever, she needs you to be present for her, and that's something you can't do right now, not with all the time you spend training the other three girls.

While they weren't a threat to my Kelly before – because she was always the best – Wendy is still young and unripe and she needs you to focus all your attentions and time on her if she wants to become the number one."

"Sheila, you know as well as I do that I cannot pay attention only to Wendy. I train four elite gymnasts, not just one, and that's not going to change anytime soon. All four of them need me to achieve their goals." Marty answered, not sure why they were having this conversation.

"And it's why I found a solution that will solved all of our problems." Sheila said with a strange smile.

"What do you mean?" Marty asked her, not liking one bit the direction this conversation was taking.

"I just go off the phone with the Denver Club. They are very interested in your coaching services. And of course you won't be alone. You'll be taking Wendy with you." Sheila continued with that same sinister smile still on her face.

"And why should I suddenly leave the Rock to go train at Denver?" Marty humored her.

"Because otherwise I shall be forced to reveal your dirty little secret. Think what that would to Kaylie, poor thing!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Marty denied, suddenly nauseous.

"Of course you do. Think about what a scandal that would be. You, having an affair with a married woman, and not just anyone, but Kaylie Cruz's mother. If something like that should come out by any chance, Kaylie's family would be destroyed and Kaylie would be devastated."

"You don't have any proof." Marty tried, already knowing though that Sheila had won.

"Oh, don't I?" And with that she pulled out some pictures out of her jacket. Marty took them from her, hand trembling. He gulped, mouth suddenly dry. There they were, he and Ronnie, their faces clearly visible. They were both naked, just a sheet covering the both of them, but there was not mistaken what it was they were doing.

"So, we have a deal?"

Marty glared at her before trying to make her rethink her decision referring to the friendship between Kelly and Kaylie. "Would you really do it? Destroy Kaylie's family – one of your daughter's best friends - just to see your stepdaughter on top?" He asked her shaking his head.

"You know as well as I do that this has nothing to do with Kelly or Wendy. This is about the money I'm going to make if Wendy becomes the number one. Of course with Kelly I never needed to do any of this, she always won, that was my Kelly, a true champion. But she's not here anymore, so I have to settle for Wendy." Sheila said coldly. Then she stood up, walking out of the office without a backwards glance.

Marty kept looking at the pictures, still not believing what had just happened. So much for not regretting his decision.

* * *

**6 June 2011**

He parked just outside the little stone cottage in the woods. The trees that surrounded it and the little lake just a few feet away gave the place a surreal air. _What is Belov doing in a place like this?_ Steve thought, mentally shaking his head. He came close to the front door, knocking and then, when he received no answer, tried calling his name but with no results.

For a moment he asked himself what he was doing here. He was supposed to be at the Rock, watching her daughter training, not here, in the middle of nowhere, trying to speak to a man who had been unreachable for the last five years. But then he remembered that he was doing it for Lauren and, even if he had lied to everyone, her daughter included, on where he was right now, he wasn't going to just turn around and leave without even talking to him.

He decided to go check the backyard just in case. Maybe he was outside and hadn't heard him coming.

And here he was, in fact, the blonde British man he was looking for. Fishing? The rumors about him weren't exaggerated then, he wasn't just weird, he was more on the crazy side. After all, which sane man would choose to live like that, isolated from everything and everyone, instead of doing the job he loved and that he was overpaid for? Sasha Belov, apparently.

"Mr Belov?" he called, when said man didn't even turn to look in his direction, all his attention focused on the fishing road in his hands. Steve mentally sighed, this was going to be more difficult that he was expecting. "Mr Belov, Steve Tanner." He tried again. "Look, I'm sorry for just showing up like that but I've tried to contact you and…"

"The reason why I'm not returning your calls Mr Tanner" Belov interrupted him, still not looking in his direction. "It's because I have no interest in your offer." He answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

No interest? Okay, the man was certifiable. He was offering him a top gym and one of the best gymnasts in the Country to coach and he was refusing like it was no big deal?

Well, he wasn't simply going to accept that answer. "Look, it's been five years since you dropped out." He tried to appeal to the man's ego then. "You're just fading into oblivion. For a man of your talent, it's got to be hard to watch."

"Not if you don't watch." His accent was suddenly thicker, clear indication that he was starting to get irritated. Still, Steve couldn't see his face so he just tried to push harder. He wasn't going to give up that easily. He was a successful lawyer after all. He hadn't won so many cases by just giving up. He wasn't going to leave until the man he wanted hired would accept his offer.

"You're expecting me to believe that the coach who reinvented this sport doesn't even watch it anymore?"He tried to flatter him then but still with no results. Damn, the man was stubborn.

"I don't know you Mr Tanner so I don't expect you to believe anything." He finally turned in his direction, even if briefly. Steve decided to take this as a sign of improvement. "I assure you I have no interest in going back to coaching anytime soon. Truth is, I have no interest in gymnastics period. I haven't for many years." Now Steve just knew he was lying. A four times Olympic gold medalist didn't just, all of a sudden, stop loving the sport that made him a legend. It just wasn't possible.

He got close to him then and Belov finally, _finally_, turned to look at him, the fishing road held lazily in his left hand. "You assembled what is perhaps the greatest team in the history of this sport. I think you can do it again and I'm prepared to offer you whatever money it takes to make that happen." There, what man would forego such an offer?

But Belov didn't seem pleased. Far from it. "You think I left England to compete in Romania because I want money? Who do I look like, David Beckham?" He glared at him, obviously offended.

That was not the reaction Steve was going for. He tried for levity then. "Yes, actually. You kind of do." Steve smiled jokingly but Belov kept staring at him, not the least bit impressed.

"I'm sorry you wasted your time Tanner." Belov continued, not sorry at all. "I'm not interested in The Denver Club, even if you add your daughter Lauren to the mix. The only reason I'd considered going back to coaching, would be for The Rock. That club is the best I've seen in a decade.

Unfortunately my old friend Marty Walsh is already its coach, so I don't think we have anything left to talk about. Nothing you can offer me would make me change my mind." He turned around again then, going back to his favorite activity, ignoring him completely.

"Look, I can get rid of Marty and…" He tried one last time, a little desperate.

"No, Marty is an excellent coach and sending him away now would do more harm than good to those girls. They don't need me."

Steve raised both of his hands then, a clear sign of defeat. The man was impossible.

He turned around with the intent of going back to his car and drive back to the airport when his phone rang.

It was still pretty early so he had no idea who would call him. Lauren was at The Rock like everyone at this hour. He checked the caller ID: Alex Cruz.

He panicked for a moment. Why was Alex calling him? What if he had found out where he was? Or something had happened to Lauren?

He breathed deeply, trying to calm down and not jumping to conclusions. "Yes Alex?" He answered with the calmest voice he could master.

"Steve, I'm sorry to bother you. I know you are with a client." Alex said from the other line. His tone was a strange mixed of worried and angry. He didn't seem angry with him though so he relaxed a little.

"Don't worry about it Alex. What is it? Lauren's okay, is she?" Steve asked then, worried for his daughter's wellbeing.

"Yes, don't worry. Your daughter is perfectly fine. It's not why I'm calling you." Steve relaxed completely at that. Whatever it was, her daughter was fine and that was all that mattered.

"You won't believe what I'm about to tell you. It seems that starting from today Marty is no longer The Rock's coach."

Steve couldn't believe what he just heard. "What? What's that supposed to mean, Marty's no longer The Rock's coach?"He repeated inarticulately. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Belov had suddenly become rigid and he wasn't moving, clearly listening to the conversation.

"Exactly what I said. He left, today. To go train in Denver. And not just him. Wendy Capshaw followed him. I bet all my money that Sheila's behind it all."

"It seems the most plausible explanation. It is something she could have done all right. And just before Nationals. How are the girls?"

"Like you can imagine. They're upset and confused. And very, very angry. And they're not the only ones. If I see Sheila and Marty around, I don't know if I'll be able to control myself. How could they do something like this? Sheila helped create The Rock, for God's sake. She was the one who contacted Marty in the first place." Alex ranted, clearly furious about the entire situation.

Steve wasn't really paying attention to him though. His mind was occupied with a single thought: _She beat me into it, that bitch! _Expect that he wasn't interested in Marty as her daughter's coach. No, he wanted the best in the business and that was the man in front of him, still listening to his phone call.

_Well, since I can't convince Belov to train my daughter in Denver, I think I will be able to convince him to train her at The Rock with the other girls._ He decided then. It was better this way anyway. Lauren would be sad, away from her friends.

"What are we going to do now?" Alex interrupted his train of thoughts. "It's just 50 days until Nationals and we're suddenly left with no coach. It's a disaster."

"Listen Alex. Don't worry about it. I have already someone in mind who could replace Marty." He said then, looking at Belov. "You just try to keep your cool and everything will work out fine, you'll see. In the meantime, leave the girls' training to Darby. I know she's young, and a little too enthusiastic, but she worked alongside Marty for two years now. She's going to do just fine for a couple of days. The girls can't lose even a day of training, not this close to Nationals." Steve tried to calm Alex down.

"You're right. When are you going to come back in Boulder?"

"Tonight. And if everything go as planned, the new coach will be there Saturday at the latest."

Alex agreed and then hanged up.

Steve looked at Belov then, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"That was Alex Cruz on the phone." Steve said unnecessarily. Belov knew already whom it was he was talking to. "Seems you got your wish after all, Mr Belov. The Rock is now officially lacking of a Head Coach. The position is yours if you still want it." Steve said smirking.


	3. Chapter 2

**Here's the second chapter. Just some things before you start reading this: Becca(Rebecca) in this story is Lauren's sister, not Payson's, and she's four years older than the four protagonists.**

**Chapter 2**

**6 June 2011**

The news hadn't sunk in yet. Kaylie just couldn't help but look at the door every few minutes, expecting to see him enter the gym like every other morning, face stern, ready to bark at anyone who didn't follow his instructions to the letter. But he didn't show up. Not like she was hoping he would.

The truth was that a part of her was glad he was gone. She could finally admit to herself that she hated him for having insinuated himself into her family and for being forced to stay silent. She didn't know how he was able to come into the gym every day, for the last two years, smiling and pretending that everything was okay when it was anything but. Nor she didn't know how she was able to look her father in the eye and continued to keep silent, watching her mother pretending to be the devoted wife. Maybe because her mother had swear to her that her affair was over, that it had been a mistake and that she still loved her father, that she wanted her marriage to work from now on, especially for her. And Kaylie believed her because, what else was she supposed to do? It's not like she wanted to hurt her father by telling him that the woman he loved, the woman he married, was cheating on him. It would have destroyed him. So she said nothing. Her father seemed happy, their marriage seemed solid and everything was okay.

But she couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. Because a secret like that couldn't just stay hidden forever right? But nothing had happened in the last two years and she gradually relaxed, pretending the day she had found out about their affair – listening to a phone conversation, could it be more cliché? – had never happened and she had gone on with her life, pretending that Marty was just her coach and not her mother's lover, winning the title of National Champion and just plain be the perfect daughter and the perfect gymnast, maybe because, unconsciously, she was seeking her father's forgiveness - even if he didn't know what it was he was forgiving her for -.

No matter what she thought of him as a man though, she couldn't not admit that Marty was a great coach and she knew he loved The Rock and everyone in it.

It was for this exact reason that she just couldn't believe he would decide to leave just like that, completely out of the blue, and even more so this close to Nationals.

That was the reason why she knew there was something more behind it all. Something – or someone – must have forced him to leave and she thought she knew exactly who that person was and the reason why, even if she didn't want to believe it. Because her mother wouldn't lie to her, wouldn't she?

Maybe Sheila just made him an offer he simply couldn't refuse and he accepted without a second thought, not even caring what that would do to the gymnasts he coached.

After all it was easier, thinking that Marty was the bad guy in all of this, the one who circuited a married woman – the mother of one of his gymnasts most importantly – instead of facing the possibility of something she couldn't even contemplate.

Because if what she was thinking proved to be true, it meant that her mother never ended her affair like she told her she would. But worst of all, it meant that Sheila had found out about it and had used that information to force Marty to leave The Rock.

Almost like an answer to her musings, she heard the easily recognizable sound of her phone beeping. She looked up to make sure she was the only one who had heard it and sighed in relieve when she realized that everyone else was completely concentrated on their training. She turned her head to look at her black and pink gym bag, less than a foot from her, just under the staircase that lead to Marty's office – or what used to be Marty's office –.

She turned her head the other way then, making sure that Darby wasn't looking at her. She wasn't, fortunately, too busy watching Lauren's new routine on bars.

_Lauren Tanner_ she thought sighing. She used to be one of her best friends. She turned her head then, searching for Emily. She was trying her new Yurchenko vault, face completely focused.

Sadness overwhelmed her suddenly. When had been the last time she had talked to either of them? Really talked, expect for the usual greetings at the beginning and at the end of every training day? Or the last time they had seen each other outside of the gym and interact with each other in a way that wasn't gymnastics related? She couldn't remember.

Thinking that they used to be so close until two years ago. And now, look at them. Each one of them completely estranged to the others. What was happening in their lives right now?

She missed them, a lot. She missed the fact that they used to be more that simply teammates, they were friends. Friends who cheered each other during competition, who didn't get angry if one did better than another.

They supported each other instead, always. And Kelly was the glue that kept them all together. She was the best friend one who could hope to have but the worst enemy that you could possibly get, at the same time.

And maybe that explained why everything had changed when Kelly disappeared. With her gone, they were lost, not sure what to do with themselves anymore, who they were without her.

Maybe it was part of growing up, losing friends along the way. Standing on their own two feet instead of having to rely on another person.

Or maybe it was simply the secrets that each one of them kept from the other and that Kelly knew about and that, little by little, just served to keep them away from each other.

Kaylie shook her head. It wasn't of any use, thinking about the past. She knew in her heart, even if no one had dared said it out loud, that Kelly Parker was dead. She died that night, they all knew it. It was just a matter of finding her body now.

Everything that had happened since that night was just a consequence. Nothing had been the same after that night and nothing would ever be.

She got up at last, making sure Darby was still turned away from her and that her father was still in the office, still busy talking on the phone with whoever was he was talking to, and make her way to her bag.

She kneeled in front of it, making sure she had her back turned in the direction of the floor, before opening the side pocket, where her phone resided.

A new text message. The number was blocked. Curious Kaylie opened it. When she read what was in it though she paled. Taking a deep breath she reread it. And again. The words didn't disappear though.

**Ehy Kaylie,**

**You want to know why your coach really left? Mummy dearest knows it. **

**It's so unfair. She's the one who gets to sin but it's you get punished. **

**Guess secrets don't stay hidden for too long. _K**

"What the hell?" She cursed silently. Was it some kind of joke? Nobody knew about it, nobody expect for her, her mother and Marty, that's it. And Sheila now, maybe. But why would she send a message like that? Just to taunt her? And obtaining what exactly? It didn't make any sense.

Even if Sheila were really the one who blackmailed Marty, why would she do something like that? She already had what she wanted. On the other end though, who else could it be? "Kaylie? It's everything okay?" She heard a voice said from behind her. Darby. She plastered a smile on her face and then turned around. "Absolutely." She answered without batting an eyelash. Darby nodded and told her to go back to work. Kaylie tried to concentrate on her routines, she really did. But it wasn't of any use. The words of that SMS just kept hunting her.

* * *

Practice was over for the day. Lauren went outside, orange and white gym bag on one hand, and reached her silver Mercedes E-250 coupé. Her father wasn't back yet from his business meeting so she was on her own for the time being.

She didn't know what she was supposed to do now. Until two years ago she would have gone to the mall and done shopping with one of her best friends. But she wasn't close to them anymore now and doing shopping on her own wasn't fun, at all.

She usually tried to not to think about the past but sometimes she just couldn't help it. She missed that time, when the five of them were always together, training at the gym, dancing inside some club they had sneak in with a fake ID, at the house of one of them during a slumber party, at some high school party. But most of all she simply missed them, her best friends, and not just because all that she had left in her life right now were her father and gymnastics.

Kelly was gone two years and still she couldn't help but hope that she would come back someday, grinning and saying that it was all a joke made just to scare them.

But she knew she wasn't coming back. Everybody knew it. Still, a thing was thinking it and another one was accept it.

Lauren tried to shake off those glum thoughts and turning the key in the ignition, she came out of The Rock parking lot, ready to spend an evening watching boring TV shows.

Still, all the way home she couldn't shut off her brain and the only thing she could think about was Marty's betrayal. Because that was the way she saw it. Because she trusted him – all of them trusted him – to never leave and helping them in their way to the 2012 Olympics.

Instead he just left, without a warning or an explanation, for a club that – everyone knew it – wasn't worth half a single gymnast at The Rock. And it didn't matter that there was probably Sheila Baboyan behind it all. It didn't exist a single reason that was worth the fact that they were left without a coach 50 days before Nationals. It didn't matter that Darby had done a good job today, no matter how young or inexperienced she was. It didn't matter that, despite everything, everyone had been able to concentrate enough today to train.

None of it mattered because he had left them. And she was so damn angry with him – everyone was – that she would probably punch him if he only dares to show his face in the gym.

She wished Payson would come back. She was the most level headed between the five of them. The one ready to draw the line if one of them had too much to drink or ended up in trouble in some way. Not to say that she didn't know how to have fun, just that she was the most responsible one. And in a case like this she would have say something along the line of 'keep concentrate on your training, now it's not the time to be distracted. Everything will solve itself in time' or something like that. And she would have such conviction on her tone that nobody would have had a problem believing it.

Lauren smiled to herself at that, and then frowned immediately after. She had been hurt when Payson had decided to leave Boulder, just three months after Kelly's disappearance. Of course she knew that her father had been transferred to London in a British branch of the Bank where he worked and appointed Director. And nobody would have given up a job opportunity such as that one.

But she had been disappointed none than less. Without the two of them it just hadn't been the same. And after a very short time, they had just started to call each other and go out less and less. They had begun to see each other only at the gym and now, two years later, they barely talked to each other.

Lauren huffed at that. It was her fault as much as theirs and now it was too late to bring back things as they were.

She was finally home. She parked the car and then climbed the stairs that connected the garage with the inside of the house.

She decided to take a shower and change in something more comfortable than a leotard. She turned the faucet on and left the water cascading down her body. She was tired. And not just physically, because of today's practice, but in general. She just wanted things to turn back as they were. With Kelly alive and with them, Payson still in Boulder and the five of them closer than ever.

No matter how she still loved gymnastics, it wasn't fun as before. Nothing was fun as it was before. She sighed, and then went out of the shower, changed in a red top and a pair of sweatpants and reached her bedroom, when she heard the front door opened. Maybe her dad had come home earlier than expected.

But when she reached the living room, it wasn't her dad waiting for her. It was her sister, Rebecca, with a guy she had never seen before. The boy in question was very handsome, with light brown hair and blue eyes, high cheekbones and the body of a model, or an actor. He was probably twenty-two, twenty-three years old. He was probably her sister's new boyfriend. She frowned internally but she plastered a wide smile on her face for their guest's benefit.

"Becca." She said, hugging her sister. "What are you doing here?"

"Ehi Lo. It was supposed to be a surprise. We were supposed to be here this morning but our flight was late so here we are now. How was practice? Dad's not back yet?"

"Practice was like usual. No, dad's not here yet. He's going to be back soon though. So who's your friend?"

Becca smiled tightly at her, a clear warning before smiling sweetly at her new boy toy.

"This is Razor. I met him on campus. He's studying to become an investment banker but he plays in a band here in Boulder too, just as a hobby though. Razor this is my little sister Lauren. She's a gymnast like I was. Of course she didn't win three Olympic medals like me but she's young after all. I'm sure she will be great soon enough." Lauren grinded her teeth at that but smiled flirtatiously at Razor.

"Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you." She purred, taking his hand in hers and caressing its back slightly with her thumb while looking at him through her eyelashes. The sensation of their hands intertwined send a hot shiver down her spine. She noticed with satisfaction that Razor gulped nervously at that. She wasn't the only one affected by their close proximity then, good.

Becca glared at her and took his arm possessively. Lauren smiled innocently at her and asked again to what was due her unexpected visit.

"Be patient sister. You'll know soon enough." Her hand was still tightened around Razor's arm, allowing Lauren to notice something she hadn't notice before: the huge diamond on her sister's finger. They were engaged?

Lauren shook mentally her head and then smiled, making sure neither her sister nor her fiancé had noticed where her gaze had landed.

This was new. Becca wasn't the type to get serious with someone. She usually dated someone for a couple months and then dumped them, moving to the next conquest. The only exception had been Jake. Best not to think about Jake though. The fact that she was engaged to this one meant that she was serious this time. That she loved him.

Lauren felt suddenly guilty at her previous behavior. Flirting with her sister's boyfriends was something she always did to rile up her sister but this time it was different. They were going to get married.

Still, she couldn't deny the powerful attraction she felt for Razor. The other times it was only a game for her, a way like another to win over her sister. But this time….

She excused herself then, going back to her room to change clothes for dinner and try to relax her nerves. It was like with Jake all over again.

Once safe in her bedroom, she noticed that her mail box had a new message for her. The email address was blocked. She opened it curiously and for a second when she read it, she didn't understand what was on it, then, as soon as the words written on it reached her brain, she gasped.

**Poor Lauren. Always wants what her sister has. ****Sisters often get to share. **

**But I don't think Becca will be happy to know you two share her boyfriends too. Remember, if you kiss, I tell! _K**

She breathed deeply, trying to calm down. Maybe it was nothing, just someone doing a stupid prank. After all, how could someone know about that thing? Nobody knew. Expect… but no, it wasn't possible, right?

_Yeah, it's just a stupid prank, nothing more._ She thought nodding her head, trying to convince herself. But no matter how much she repeated that sentence in her mind, she didn't really believe it.

* * *

Once out of the gym, Emily drove all the way to the nearest playground and sat on a swing, taking off her shoes and scraping her feet in the sand. Every time she needed time to think, she went to a playground, since she was little. She remembered that the first time her mother brought her in a playground for the first time, when she was just three years old, instead of getting on a swing like every other kid her age, she went straight for the high bar, beginning to swing with her arms similar to what she does now on the uneven bars in the gym. It was for this very reason that her mother had decided to enroll her in a gym and that's how her love for gymnastics was born.

Still, no matter how many hours she spent in a gym, she always wanted to go in a playground after and swinging on the high bar. Growing up though, she went there less and less and now she went there only if she needed a quiet place to think. And she had a lot to think about now.

And, truth to be told, she wasn't ready to go home yet. She wasn't ready to face her mother and listen to her saying that everything was going to work out fine. Because there was nothing fine about the entire situation. How could he do this? What kind of coach leaves his team seven weeks before Nationals?

God, she was so furious. She had never been this furious before, with anyone. But most of all she felt betrayed. He swore that he would never leave. And what did he do? The exact opposite.

She thought he was different. She thought that, no matter what other men in her life did, _he_ would not leave. But she was wrong once again. Men always leave. Or at least, they leave _her_.

First her father, then _him_, and now her coach. Before though, it was something that she was able to stand, if not accepting it. But before, she had her friends with her. There were one of the certainties in her life, together with The Rock, her mother and Brian.

Every time the thought of her father's abandonment became too much for her, she talked to Kelly, who had lived practically the same situation as her. And if talking about that wasn't enough, she used to go to the Keelers; seeing Payson's parents so in love still, after so many years, was enough to instill hope in her that there were still men who were worthy of the love and trust they received.

Now though, and from two years, Kelly and Payson weren't there to talk to her, nor was she still friends with neither Kaylie nor Lauren.

So much had changed in the last two years, with Kelly's disappearance only being the tip of the iceberg. She didn't even know how they got to that point. They had just begun to drift away from each other, and then one day she had woken up and realized that she hadn't talked to her best friends in months.

Emily sighed then. She missed them, all of them. Thinking that they were so different from each other, personality wise, and yet they were so close once. She wished she could go back to that time, with Kelly still with them and the five of them, the next hope to the 2012 Olympics.

She sighed again, going to furious to sad in less than a minute. She began swinging then, moving her legs and going higher and higher. She threw her head back, seeing everything around her upside down. She stopped suddenly then, using her feet to slow down the swing, and realized that had started to get dark.

She needed to go home now, willing or not or otherwise endure her mother's interrogation.

She got up and returned to her car, a blue Lexus SC-430 coupe. Once inside, she realized that her phone was beeping. She got it out of the green and black gym bag that she had left on the passenger set. She saw that there was a new text message. She took a few minutes to absorb what was on it.

**Men! They really can't help but leave you right?**

**First your father, then your boyfriend and now you're coach. It really sucks to be you. But don't worry, you will always have me. _K**

Emily's heart accelerated at those words. Who could write something like that? Nobody knew about the two of them together, or the reason why he left town. Nobody except Kelly, that's it, and she was presumibly dead. Could it be possible that she was back? She started shacking then, her phone held too tight in her hand.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Maybe it was nothing. Just someone making some stupid joke or something. Nothing to worry about. She nodded, not at all convinced but trying to.

She threw the phone carelessly on her bag and started the engine, ready to return home and determined not to think about the SMS anymore. No matter how much she tried not to, though, she couldn't help but turn her head every once in a while toward the passenger seat.

* * *

Payson looked at herself in the mirror, moving from left to right and back again, letting the short purple dress she was wearing descend gently down her thighs, her smooth golden tanned legs accentuated by the black high-heeled sandals her feet were enclosed in, gifting her with a few inches. She was taller than most gymnasts but still shorter than most girls her age. She was wearing little make up, just lip gloss, mascara and eyeliner and her long blond hair for once were loose, cascading down her shoulders in soft waves. She looked twenty-two, twenty-three at the very least and that was exactly the look she was going for.

She smiled to herself and then looked behind her through the mirror, at her bedroom still full of boxes, her mind elsewhere. It was really strange to be back there, after two years, in the town where one of her best friends disappeared. It was hard to face. All the memories that she had pushed away, during her stay in England, were resurfacing all at once.

She was scared. Scared of going back at The Rock, of seeing her old friends again after having completely shut them out of her life. She hadn't tried to contact them once since her move, not sure what to say to them. It was ironic that while Kelly was still there with them, they were never short of things to say and after her disappearance they just didn't how to talk with each other anymore.

It all came back to her, Kelly Parker, the girl who was perfect in everything she did. From her school grades to her gymnastics. The girl who won the title of National Champion her first year as a senior elite.

Payson remembered the first time she met her like it was yesterday. They had met at a summer camp near Boulder just after junior Nationals. Kelly had just won the title of Junior National Champion for the second time in a row and she was already a star in the gymnastic world. All four of them were a little in awe of her. The first time she laughed at one of Emily's jokes, told Kaylie how much she liked her new top, shared her opinion about boys with Lauren or compliment Payson's new bars routine, they just couldn't help but being dazzled by her. She was Kelly Parker, she was beautiful, popular, smart, witty, all the boys wanted her and all the girls wanted to be her. They just couldn't believe that she wanted to be friends with them. But she did, and in two years time, they hadn't become just best friends, they were the _It Girls _of gymnastics.

But being friends with Kelly wasn't always as great as it seemed. Kelly wasn't always the sweet, charming girl that she appeared to be on camera. She had a manipulative and mean side that she showed only with the people closest to her. Or with her enemies.

The face of Jordan Randall appeared, unwanted, in Payson's mind but she pushed it away with force. Best not to think about Jordan.

Kelly could be very cruel when she wanted to and sometimes Payson couldn't help but being scared of her just a little. And of course there was also the fact that Payson had always been very competitive and being best friend with a seemingly perfect girl, had often caused Payson to feel insecure, sentiment that she didn't like at all, not when it came to her gymnastics at least.

Because Payson was insecure when it came to the 'feminine' part of her and Kelly knew it and had often use it against her. She was the kind of girl who always felt out of place and ugly near girls like Kaylie, Kelly or Lauren. It was the reason why she never wore make up, never wear a dress or let her hair loose. So at the time she used to play the part of the girl focused mostly on gymnastics and her grades.

Of course now everything was different for her. In London she had finally found herself. Since she moved to England she had become a little more daring. She liked, she had to admit, not always being the goody-two-shoes Payson Keeler that everyone thought she was. She felt more comfortable with herself, surer of her beauty and grace and that shone through even on her gymnastic routines. In the last two years she had completely changed her gymnastics style. While before she was a more power gymnast, now she was more of a mix. She had in fact started to take ballet lessons – thanks to the advice of the coach who trained her there – and that completely transformed her style of gymnastics. While before her specialty had been bars, now not even Kaylie – who had been the best on floor two years ago – could hope to beat her on that category.

Her thoughts went back to her friends then. The friends she had left behind when her parents had decided to move to London. She wasn't ready to face them yet, nor she was ready to going back at The Rock. Best to wait until tomorrow. It was why she had decided to go out that evening. A little bit of fun was just what she needed to distract herself.

There was also the little fact that she had been out of competition for two years and that tomorrow would be her big come back. Being out of her own Country for two years kind of forced her to give up competition for awhile but she had kept on training and she was back now, ready to win at this year Nationals.

Her mother's voice from downstairs roused her from her thoughts and with one last look at the mirror, she took the leather jacket and bag from her bed where she had placed them and she ran down the stairs.

"And where do you think you're going young lady?" Her mother stopped her in her tracks, her voice stern.

"I'm going out mum. I think I'll take the car and go around Denver for a while, maybe I'll do some shopping or something. I need to go out of the house and out of this town for a few hours…"

Kim's expression softened instantly at those words. "You're thinking about Kelly, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but not just her. I was thinking also about the Rock and Emily, Lauren and Kaylie…" Payson answered a bit dejected.

"should call them. The five of you were inseparable. A friendship like yours doesn't disappear just because you moved in another Country…" Her mother tried to convince her but Payson shook her head.

"No, I'll just wait until tomorrow okay? I'm not ready to see them or call them yet."

"Okay honey. Be careful and don't be too late."

Payson laughed. "I'm always careful mum" she answered before leaving, reaching her black BMW Z4 coupé that was parked in the alleyway.

She wanted to have fun just for one night and absolutely not think about Kelly's disappearance. She would go back to the real life tomorrow.

She remembered having seen a little English pub while passing on the way back from the airport, near the Denver University campus. Without thinking too much about it, she decided to go there. It would have given her the impression of being still in England.

An hour drive and then she was parking in front of "The Red Lion". There weren't many people inside, maybe it was still early. She entered and went straight to the counter. "Guinness." She said to the dark-haired bartender. She didn't drink often but today she really needed to get loose a little bit.

"Coming right up." The bartender answered her, winking at her. He didn't even ask for an ID.

Payson smiled to herself and then frowned slightly. That was something that Kelly would be proud of.

Payson shook her head then. She had to stop thinking about Kelly. She was just torturing herself. She took a sip of the beer that the young bartender had brought her, trying to stop thinking and enjoy her last free night.

"Everything all right down there?" She heard a British voice asking her. Payson turned to her right. There was a blonde, very handsome man sitting two sits from where she was, sipping something that was probably whisky. How could she have missed him while entering the pub?

"Yeah, I just forgot how beer tastes like here. Beer's tastes better in Europe." Payson half-lied. The beer tasted bland and she wasn't lying when she said that it tasted better in Europe, but it wasn't the reason why she was frowning.

"You've lived in Europe? Where, if I may ask?" He was looking at her curiously, his intense blue eyes studying her.

_Wow, he's really hot. _Payson thought, swooning just a little. _And kind of familiar. _She mentally frowned soon after. Where had she seen him?

"London." She answered with a little smirk.

"Really?" He smiled then. "I'm sure you haven't noticed but I'm from England." He joked then.

"Oh no, I couldn't say. Your accent wasn't a dead giveaway. Not at all." The man laughed at that, obviously amused by Payson's slightly sarcastic answer.

"I'm Sasha by the way." He said then, moving up to the chair beside hers.

"Payson. Nice to meet you Sasha." She shook his warm, calloused hand in hers, feeling a shiver go down her spine.

"So, London uhm? It was your year abroad?" Payson was about to shake her head, but then stopped. How could she explain to a complete stranger the reason why she had run away from the USA altogether? It was pretty obvious why he had come to that conclusion. Most people in this pub were college students, since it was so close to Campus. "Yeah, it was my year abroad. I've just come back today. And you? What are you doing here in Denver?" Let him think what he wanted.

"I just arrived today too. I've accepted a job here and I'm starting tomorrow. So, what's your major?"

"Uhm… physical therapy?" She said slightly questioning. She wasn't exactly lying. Back in England she had attended some college courses and once finished her gymnastic career, she'd like to become a physiotherapist. She was far from majoring though. But he didn't need to know that.

"Wow, I'm impressed." His tone confirming his words. "It's a pretty hard subject."

"Yeah, but I liked it. And it's the best way to stay close to the sport I love."

"Which sport?" Sasha asked her, even more intrigued.

"Gymnastics" she answered a little hesitantly. She really hoped she wasn't giving too much away.

"Seriously? You love gymnastics? The job I was talking about? It's a coaching job. Elite gymnasts."

And then something just clicked in Payson's mind. How could she not recognize him sooner? "Wait a minute. By any chance, is your last name Belov?"

"You caught me!" Sasha smirked at her then.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I didn't recognize you sooner. I'm such an idiot."

"So you heard about me?" he asked her a little smugly.

"I'm sure this is going to inflate your ego even more. But when I was younger, like thirteen, fourteen years old…. I had a huge crush on you."

"And now?" Sasha asked her smiling. He gently laid a hand on her knee, getting close to her. Payson's mouth was suddenly dry, her beating heart going a mile away. Sasha Belov was flirting with her, she couldn't believe it. She squeaked in her mind. The little girl she was, dancing around in her mind.

She tried to play it cool. "I grew out of it." Sasha frowned disappointed and he was going to move his hand away from her knee but she stopped it there. She looked at him, directly in his eyes, trying to make him understand that she wasn't immune to his charm now that she was older.

Sasha smiled then, relieved.

A song was playing on the background, one of her favorite songs. 'Behind blue eyes' by The Who. She blamed her father for her taste in music. Of course she listened to the current music but she had a special appreciation for the music of the 60's, 70's and 80's.

"God, I love this song!" She murmured to herself. Sasha had obviously heard her though because he answered "B26". Payson smiled at him then.

"So… you're smart, you're beautiful, you traveled, great taste in music…. I'd like to know more about you."

"Yeah, I'd like to know more about you too." She answered with a little flirtatious smile.

Payson count to three then. She smiled, maybe a little shakily because she had to admit, she was more than a little nervous, then continued. "I have to go to the bathroom." She looked at him, trying to make him understand what she was implying and then she walked across the bar until she reached the bathroom's door. It was unisex, perfect. She only hoped Sasha had understood her silent message.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked okay even if a little flushed.

Five minutes later, she was beginning to get worried. He hadn't showed up yet. Maybe he had changed his mind or he had simply not understood what she was trying to say.

Then he appeared, running a hand through his hair. He seemed kind of worried.

"Oh thank god! I thought you didn't catch my meaning out there."

"I wasn't sure if that was what you meant." He smiled then, the cocky attitude from before beginning to appear again. He reached her in two long strides and then he was kissing her passionately. Payson responded in kind, folding her arms behind his neck. He was tall and she had to stand on tiptoes to reach him but she wasn't complaining. She had never been kissed like that. The boys she had kissed before – and they were a few – couldn't hold a candle to the way he was expertly exploring her mouth. His tongue caressed her lower lip gently and she opened her mouth, more than ready to welcome him inside. He tasted of whisky and even if she never liked the drink before, she couldn't think of a better taste right now.

He grabbed her hips then, lifting her effortlessly on the sink and she wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him closer to herself.

They withdrew from each other soon after then, gulping in long gasps of air.

"I don't do this often." She said to him then, trying to catch her breath. "Making out with strangers in a bathroom I mean."

"I never thought you did. I consider myself pretty lucky that you decided to make an exception."

Payson smiled shyly at him then and reached for him again. She moved her hands to touch his shoulders and then lower, touching the skin of his back under his grey shirt, caressing the muscles and making him moan slightly in her mouth. Sasha begun to kiss her neck and she brought her head back, giving him space. Her legs brought him even closer to her until their fronts were touching, her breasts pressed against his hard muscled chest. One of his hands made his way through her hair while the other caressed the skin on her thigh. She could feel him hard against her and she moved her hips up and down, making him groan. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps, a hot pleasurable sensation making its way inside her belly. His left hand moved from her hair and caressed her shoulder before lowering the strap of her dress. He kissed her shoulder and then lower, until he touched her bra with his lips. She brought his head back to her, kissing him passionately once again when then suddenly her phone began to ring and she groaned. "Ignore it!" Sasha whispered against her lips.

"I can't" She reached blindly from her bag and searched inside for her cell phone. It was her mother.

She answered, distancing herself from him slightly, an apologetic look on her face. "Hello? Yes, okay. I'll be right back. Bye!"

"You have to go." Sasha said defeated. "Sorry!" she apologized, disappointed as much as he that her mother had interrupted.

"Can I see you again?" Payson smiled widely at that then took a pen from her bag and wrote her number on the palm of his hand. "Call me okay?"

She kissed him one more time before running away to her car. She kept on smiling all the way to Boulder.


End file.
